Magic Memorial 17U BattleCup: Standout Guards (Pt. 2)

<p>ANAHEIM — The 2022 edition of the Magic Memorial Day event brought together a solid field of Southern and Northern California club teams and a handful from programs from surrounding states including Nevada, Arizona and Nebraska. In this piece we take an in-depth look at some of the standout guards from the 17U BattleCup Division.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="950893" first="Kiku" last="Parker"]</strong>, Team Lillard - Parker did a tremendous job of putting pressure on the rim and kept the defense off-balance with his ability to get downhill in transition and half-court situations. The 6-foot NorCal-based point guard used his good first step and strong frame to get paint touches, create space for finishes and added in his vision and unselfishness when setting up big men for lobs or shooters for open shots.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994953" first="Macarhy" last="Morris"]</strong>, Cali Rebels - Morris has shown marked improvements to multiple aspects of his game and his floor general ability was what stood out over the weekend. Morris stayed controlled under pressure, took care of the basketball and limited turnovers, and got into the paint going left to put pressure on the rim. Morris is a crafty finisher when he gets into the lane, but also a willing and capable passer.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="970271" first="Makaih" last="Williams"]</strong>, Cali Rebels - Williams’ recruitment is trending up and for good reason. The 6-foot-2 combo guard is having a great spring where he’s shown his scoring ability and explosive athleticism. Williams is a shot-maker off the dribble both from three-point and mid-range levels and is also great when getting to the basket off the dribble and finishing above the rim or through contact. Williams’ offense helped lead Cali Rebels into the 17U BattleCup Championship game where it fell to Dream Vision.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="970270" first="Marqui" last="Worthy"]</strong>, Veritas - Worthy is that rare combination of wing strength and athleticism to go along with guard skills and IQ. The 6-foot-4 playmaker can play both on or off the ball, guards multiple positions defensively, and has a toughness and unafraid approach to the game that helps him relish in every matchup. Worthy is an elite driver and finisher through traffic who is becoming a more respectable and confident perimeter shooter.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994006" first="Styles" last="Phipps"]</strong>, Belmont Shore - Phipps has the controls of the Belmont Shore club and he pulls the right strings more often than not. The 6-foot-2 rising junior out of Arizona has that modern point guard skill-set where he can put the ball in the basket just as well as he helps others score. Phipps can get to the basket off the bounce and finish with crafty layups, but can also knock down perimeter jumpers with consistency. Phipps is not just a scorer, however, as he can recognize defensive rotations on drives and create good shots for teammates.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994964" first="Tyler" last="Rolison"]</strong>, Compton Magic - Rolison looked right at home playing his first tournament of the club season with Compton Magic. The 6-foot point guard is one of SoCal’s best and showed why with his combination of scoring and high level playmaking in transition. Rolison is a shot-creator off the dribble for himself and teammates and always seems to make the big shot in crunch time of a game. The rising senior plays aggressive and fast, but remains under control when pushing the pace in transition.</p>